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Editor’s Note — TRO wants to remind its Travelgram readers the articles presented here are meant to assist you in remaining informed and prepared to discuss travel news of the day with clients.
Destinations
In Lebanon, Vacant Apartments Are Given to Those on the Front Lines
Over the past year, Lebanon's citizens have been determined to broker a peaceful revolution. After protests throughout 2019, the prime minister’s resignation in January, and the more recent installment of a new government, it seemed like change was coming. Then came the coronavirus outbreak. A medical emergency was declared throughout Lebanon on March 15, shutting down everything from…
— Conde Nast Traveler
How Oslo Will Celebrate Norway’s National Day Under Coronavirus Restrictions
Norway's Constitution Day celebrations on May 17 usually see Norwegians shake off their reserved shells to enjoy one big, national party. In the capital, Oslo, thousands of people fill Karl Johans gate to watch a parade of children from local schools wave to the Royal Family, all accompanied by the sound of marching bands. Except this year. With major events banned until mid-June under…
— Forbes
The world's most-populous Muslim nation just banned holiday travel over Ramadan
Indonesia has temporarily banned domestic road, air and sea travel starting Friday to prevent the spread of coronavirus, as millions of Muslims mark the start of the holy month of Ramadan. Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim nation and tens of millions of people make their way home to celebrate the end of Ramadan each year with families and loved ones, an annual tradition called…
— CNN
Tours and Activities
Broadway’s Biggest Stars Are Doing Virtual Meet and Greets, Singing Lessons, and Sending Personalized Videos
If you can’t go to the theater, bring the theater to you. Broadway shows, like other businesses in New York City, have had to temporarily shut down in response to the coronavirus outbreak. While you can’t enjoy live shows like "Dear Evan Hansen" and "Hamilton," you can still get a taste of Broadway virtually through Broadway Plus. Broadway Plus is a company that creates and promotes VIP packages…
— Travel+Leisure
Coronavirus travel restrictions in Thailand allow shy wildlife to emerge
It’s rare to see a threatened species of sea mammal in shallow waters in southern Thailand but thanks to travel restrictions that have stripped popular destinations of crowds of tourists, a large group of dugongs has made their presence known. Drone video footage released by the Department of National Parks shows a 30-strong herd of dugongs on Wednesday off Libong island in Trang…
— USA Today
Cruise
Cruise Ships Sailed On Despite The Coronavirus. Thousands Paid The Price
As the coronavirus spread across the world in early 2020, millions of people found themselves in what is now understood to be one of the most dangerous places during a pandemic: a cruise ship. Just how many passengers and crew got sick or died is impossible to know. No global health body or regulatory agency is known to be tracking those statistics. And the cruise industry — which…
— WLRN
Japanese Officials Perplexed By COVID-19 Outbreak Aboard Cruise Ship Docked For Months
Japanese officials are perplexed by a coronavirus outbreak on board an Italian-operated cruise ship that has been docked for months—with 48 crew members testing positive as of Thursday—and becoming the latest cruise ship to struggle with containing the virus. The ship, Costa Atlantica, has 623 crew on board and no passengers; it has been docked in Japan’s Nagasaki City since late…
— Forbes
Transportation
Airlines Are Trying to Cut Service to Smaller Airports During Coronavirus
When travel starts to ramp up again after the coronavirus outbreak, small airports and cities could face a unique challenge: getting airlines to return. Carriers are canceling flights and considering cutting routes to smaller airports due to the low demand from passengers during the pandemic. Route suspensions and flight cancellations are happening in droves at every U.S. airport—big…
— Conde Nast Traveler
The Ghost Airline That Has Linked Cairo and Tel Aviv for Decades
In 2007, Michael Paley went to Cairo to visit his daughter, Naamah, a junior at the University of Michigan who was spending a semester in Egypt studying Arabic. He had a work trip in Israel scheduled for a few weeks later, so he asked one of the trip administrators to book him a ticket directly from Cairo to Tel Aviv. It’s a 50-minute flight on a clear day. “I wasn’t nervous before about it,” he says,…
— Atlas Obscura
Lodging
Spanish resort launches coronavirus-free seals for hotels — where hugs will be banned
Alicante, Spain, is to introduce “Covid free” certificates for its hotels which will see a ban on hugs, handshakes or kisses for clients, protective gear for chambermaids, voice-operated lifts and chambermaids with masks. The Alicante Tourist Board and the Provincial Association of Hotels of the Province of Alicante (APHA) have created a security badge called “Alicante Covid Free” for hotels…
— New York Post
Local Hotels Seeing Decline In Business Due To COVID-19
Shelter in place orders naturally means fewer people are traveling, and that’s having a big impact on hotels. Hotels depend on those travelers to help keep their doors open. At Days Inn in Columbus, an empty lobby and empty bedrooms have become the new normal due to the coronavirus. “Honestly speaking business has been really dull,” said Netri Patel, who works at the fron desk at the hotel.…
— WCBI TV
Other and Odd
Win a Trip Anywhere in the World in 2021 for You and Your Mom Just in Time for Mother's Day
Mother’s Day is just around the corner. Though you may not be able to spend time with your mom in person this year you could still give her the ultimate gift of spending quality time with one another in the future by taking a trip together. Best of all, you could do it for free. Stride Travel, a community marketplace for global adventure trips, launched a new contest just in time for Mother’s Day.…
— Travel+Leisure
A trip around the world through local radio stations
I’d missed the joke about the three-legged chicken. It was causing a stir. “That one about the chicken with three legs you told yesterday,” said a presenter on Ireland’s Midwest Radio’s afternoon show, “apparently Ronald Reagan told it first.” “Did he, now?” the co-host replied. “Yes. You stole a joke from Ronald Reagan.” “Jeez, I’m going as red as a tomato here.” The conjunction of tripedal…
— The Guardian
Today in History
Founding of the Library of Congress
President John Adams signed into law an act establishing the Library of Congress on April 24, 1800. The same act transferred of the seat of government of the United States from Philadelphia to the District of Columbia. The law made available the sum of $5,000 "for the purchase of such books as may…
— Travel Research Online
Deck Plans
SURVEY RESULTS: Returning To River Cruising
We surveyed 20, 000 readers on our sites, Avid Cruiser and River Cruise Advisor, about the future of river cruising. Of the more than 1,400 responses as of today, more than half could see themselves on a cruise before the end of next spring.
Respondents represented these age…
— Travel Research Online
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Mike’s 1-Minute Marketing Memos
Follow Up
 Your Success Begins With The Way You Follow Up
Question: Mike, are you implying that the simple practice of “follow up” is a skill?
Answer: Yes, I…
— Travel Research Online
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